When One Door Closes
by ThePenandtheSword
Summary: While helping Kafei, Link and the purple-haired Terminian aristocrat wind up trapped in the burglar’s lair. Shounen-ai; Majora’s Mask arc. Christmas gift for Fairy Red.


**Authoress:** Amazing, isn't it? For once, I wrote a story that didn't become an epic! Actually, this was a Christmas gift for my pal, Fairy Red. Love ya', kid. Hope you like it. And cookies to whomever gets the rest of the phrase right that the title came from! ^-^

**Title:** When One Door Closes

**Rating:** K+

**Summary:** While helping Kafei, Link and the purple-haired Terminian aristocrat wind up trapped in the burglar's lair. Good old-fashioned shounen-ai set during the _Majora's Mask_ arc (_**you have been warned…no likey boy love---no readie, sweetie**_).

**Disclaimer:** Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto own all things Zelda. My fingers are still crossed that I get to be a game designer for Nintendo one day!

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How could a day that began with such promise turn into such a complete mess? That was what Link wondered as he peeked over the boulder. For three hours, he had been hunkered down behind a pile of oddly placed stones in an isolated corner of Ikana Canyon, waiting for some burglar to show up.

And, man, was it annoying! His legs had long since grown stiff from the crouching and he could not even feel his feet anymore. Sure, he was _capable_ of moving, but any sudden movement might inadvertently scare off the thief whose hideout they were staking out.

_They_. For once since Navi parted ways with him back in Hyrule, Link was not completely alone. Tatl had joined him shortly after the Skullkid took off with her brother---and, thank Farore, was far less annoying than his previous winged companion (albeit far more bossy).

And for the time being, Link had a _second_ companion. A boy named Kafei.

Actually, Kafei was the whole reason Link was even crouching behind a rock like a coward. As much as he despised fighting, he rather would have been clashing swords than trying to keep his mind off of his tingling legs. But deep down, Link did not mind such a bother since it was to help a friend. That was just how Link was.

He glanced over at the violet-haired youth beside him. Kafei stood in silent contemplation, his scarlet eyes gazing intently at the cliff nearby. So stoic was his visage that were it not for the knitted brow and fists clenching and unclenching at his side, no one would have ever been able to tell that something was bothering him. It was a trait Link secretly admired, for his emotions always showed plainly on his face even in the thickest of battles---not that he would never admit it.

Link's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by strange padding footsteps. He snapped out of his daze and carefully peeked over the boulder to see the long-awaited thief bounding merrily up the path. His face bore a wicked grin and he was…humming. _Humming!_ Oh, how that must have aggrieved Kafei, for the boy's fists clenched so hard that the knuckles turned white.

Within moments of Sakon's arrival, rumbling boomed from the cliff and part of the rock face rolled away, revealing the entrance to the thief's lair. After the burglar skipped into his hidden compound, Kafei darted inside. Link quickly followed, half-limping from his stiff legs, with Tatl hot on his heels.

Link barely sat foot inside the main chamber before he noticed Kafei's sun mask sitting on the edge of the conveyor belt. The Terminian was so overjoyed at finding his wedding mask that he rushed forward, accidentally tripping a switch in the process.

"No!" Kafei shot forward, his fingers grazing the edge of his loving work as it slipped into the next room. He spotted a door open out of the corner of his eye and ran into it, only for it to slam shut as soon as his feet left the switch. He whirled around, eyes filled with determined agony, and called to Link.

"He's trying to get the mask out of our reach and escape!" he shouted. "Quick…step on that switch! It will open the door."

Link nodded and bolted for the switch. He watched Kafei head into the next room. A few moments later the door to the room on his left opened. Unsheathing his sword, he ran inside, only to be confronted with a very angry---and hungry---deku baba. He swiftly dispatched the ravenous plant, which set off a trigger that opened another door on Kafei's side.

And so, the battle continued. Unfortunately, a wolfos Sakon had trained as a guard dog was in the third room and it fell upon Link before he could take more than two steps into the room.

"Agh!" Link shouted as the beast sliced at him. Its wicked claws ripped across his right shoulder, sending him reeling backwards. His sword clattered to the floor as his back connected with the wall, his head smashing against the hard block. As Link fell to the ground, he saw the blurred figure of the wolfos stalk toward him. The last thing he heard before his vision faded to black was the chilling howl of the beast as it reared up to attack.

But the fatal blow never came. Rather, the wolfos let out a pained yip as something small and child-sized slammed full-force into its side, sending the monster into a flip as it rolled across the room. Link could vaguely feel something rush over to him, stopping only for a brief moment before the sound of metal scraped across the floor. Suddenly, two garbled sounds rang out---one, a very animalistic, pained howl and the other a familiar voice, laden with rage.

Link blinked his eyes for a bit, trying to see through his returning vision. His eyes stung with tears as his blurred sight came back to him, and he realized that the sounds he heard had been the death cry of the wolfos…and the war cry of Kafei.

The violet-haired boy now stood before him, panting heavily, his arms shaking as he held the gilded sword (Link registered that the clang of metal he heard earlier must have been Kafei picking up the blade).

"Kafei…?" the hero asked, groggy from his semi-conscious state. Kafei immediately whirled around to see the fallen boy slumped against the wall. Dropping the sword, he rushed over and pulled the Hylian to his feet.

"Are you okay, Link?" the Terminian asked. Link was about to answer when his jaw dropped in surprise. He raised his arm and pointed toward the conveyor belt.

"Kafei---the _mask!_"

The second boy turned and stared, in horror, as the precious sun mask he had been robbed of slipped into the last room and tumbled off the edge of the belt. He jerked forward, as if to run after it, before the entire realization of what had occurred hit him. Stoic, he stood listening as Sakon's triumphant voice boomed overhead.

It was a bitter pill for Link. _He sacrificed his mask…his promise to Anju for me!_ Link could feel a knot tighten in his throat as he looked at Kafei. The youth's head was still turned away, his face most likely bearing the unfathomable anguish for his lost love. Link hung his head in shame.

"Kafei…" he thought aloud, his words laden with sympathy.

"You should go," Kafei replied, not turning to look at him. "If you have a way to get out of here, you should take it."

Link's mouth snapped shut at Kafei's words. They were so emotionless that it filled his own heart with grief. It pained him to think what Kafei had given up to save him. Tatl floated up beside of him, bobbing sadly in the air.

"We should go…" she suggested. "Leave him be. He's lost a lot…"

Link instinctively reached for his ocarina and brought it to his lips. He had restarted the cycle of events so many times now. Knowing the anguish he had caused Kafei…if he could go back in time, maybe he could…!

Link sighed. He could not do it. Something deep inside of him just would not let him leave the Terminian to bask in his grief. Instead of the familiar tune that hurled him through the sands of time, Link blew a series of soft, clear notes that echoed serenely through the room. Soon, the tune became a soothing melody that wafted throughout every one of the empty chambers of the thief's lair, wrapping the three trapped beings in a song of wondrous emotion.

Kafei's shoulders briefly shook. "That melody…what is it?"

"It's the Song of Healing," Link replied, his gaze soft as he stepped forward. "I've used it to send two ghosts to eternal slumber after their traumatic deaths…after what you've lost," he began, "after what you just went through…If anyone deserves to be healed, it's you."

Kafei glanced over his shoulder. "Why don't you get outta here? Save yourself…"

Link turned the small blue instrument over in his hands, his lips contorted into a frown. "I don't…want to leave. No one deserves to be alone at the end. And because…"

His words halted on his breath. Kafei now turned fully around to him. Link could see his eyes were glistened wet, but still no emotion showed on his face. He moved closed to the green-clad boy.

"'Because' what, Link?" he asked, cocking his head gently to the side. Link looked up at him, a bit surprised. Two scarlet orbs stared into his own sapphire ones. They looked so warm to Link---no, not warm, but scorching hot. Just looking into them caused emotions to boil up from inside of the hero.

Emotions that made Link blush.

Before the crimson blush could fully bubble up to the surface, Link lowered his face and gazed at the ocarina in his hands. He turned the small blue flute over, fingering the holes and soon beginning to wish he had played the Song of Time when he had the chance. How could he tell Kafei what he really thought? That he…_liked_ him?

Yes, it was true: the Hero of Time, savior of Hyrule and wielder of the Triforce of Courage, liked the purple-haired, haughty aristocrat. He could not help it. Even if Kafei was somewhat aloof, his determination and willingness to fulfill his promises appealed to Link's own ideals. Not only that, but Kafei and he also shared the same age dilemma---while Kafei may have been an adult turned child through an unwanted spell, Link was in the same metaphorical boat since Zelda had reverted his seventeen-year-old spirit back into a preteen body.

"Well, Link?" the youth asked. Link gulped and his lips parted, quivering for a moment before the words managed to escape.

"Because…I like you, Kafei."

Link heard Kafei's breath hitch. Oh, he had done it now! Kafei probably thought he was a freak for liking another boy. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Kafei raised his hand. He braced himself for the possible blow that was to follow.

In a flurry of movement, Kafei had grabbed Link by the collar and had slammed him into the wall. But, rather than a nose-breaking punch or a skull-shattering smash against the hard block wall like he expected, Link was surprised to feel a pair of warm lips crush against his.

Link's eyes widened as he saw Kafei, eyes clenched shut and mouth locked with his own. The hero's heart pounded wildly, as if somehow a Goron had crawled into his chest cavity and was using the Megaton hammer to smash its way out again. Slowly, Link's eyelids fluttered shut and he moved into the kiss. Trembling in both fear of rejection and newfound excitement, Link lifted his arms and slipped them around Kafei's neck. Kafei released Link's tunic, but not to push him away. The Terminian's hands moved up and cupped the back of Link's head, tilting the inexperienced boy's head so that the kiss would deepen.

Finally, after several intense moments, Kafei pulled away from the blonde. Link released a breath he had not realized that he had been holding, letting it pour out in a disappointed sigh. He gazed up, eyes half-lidded, at the rare smile the graced Kafei's face. Minding Link's wounded shoulder, he wrapped his arms around the boy in a tender embrace.

"I like you, too, Link," he announced.

"But why?" Link asked, surprised at Kafei's sudden outburst. "I thought you loved Anju…"

"I thought I did, too, Link," he said, his voice wavering, "until I heard you screaming. When I ran into the room and saw the wolfos attacking you," he reached up one hand and gingerly touched the bloody wound, causing Link to wince, "I realized how much you meant to me."

Kafei lowered his lips and placed a soft kiss to the crimsoned flesh.

"I've always liked you, Link," he admitted, "ever since that first day in Laundry Pool. How sneaky…creeping into my hideout like that. I'm ashamed to say it, but I was weak when Sakon robbed me, and I pitied myself. But, after seeing you run off so headstrong into danger _just_ to help someone who was barely more than a stranger…well…"

Kafei raised up and leaned his forehead against Link's.

"No one else in Termina has _**half**_ the courage you do," the aristocrat continued. "Anyone else would have just ignored a stranger's plight, but not you. Your valor and caring heart…how could anyone not see what a rare find that is?"

"But your mask!" Link shouted, tears trickling over his cheeks. "I lost your mask and got you trapped…even if you don't love Anju, how can you forgive the mess I made?"

Kafei tightened his embrace.

"Link, you are far more precious a treasure than a thousand masks! And besides," he smiled, "as long as I'm with you in the end, that's all that matters."

It was all Link could do not to throw both his injured and good arms around Kafei and glomp the lad in half. Instead he just leaned into the aristocrat's embrace, comforted by the overwhelming relief it brought. Certainly, Link was used to the friendly hugs of his childhood friend Saria and even the thank-you hug Cremia had given him after he protected her milk supply, but being in Kafei's arms did not even compare. How could he prefer lukewarm touches to a scorching embrace, one that absorbed into his every bone and sinew?

The tender moment soon passed and Link was snapped out of his reverie by Tatl.

"Link, I know you and Kafei are an item now, but what about the rest of Termina?" she reminded. Link swear he could see her tiny fairy arms defiantly placed on her hips. "We made a promise, Link! Darunia, Mikau, the Happy Masked Salesmen, and all of those other people---we've still got to help them. And my brother…!"

Sighing, Link gripped tightly to the ocarina in his hand. Soon, he would play the Song of Soaring and warp back to Clock Town for the final showdown with the Skullkid. He would save Termina, fulfill his promise to everyone, and continue to search for Navi.

Maybe this time, he wouldn't be alone…

But Link would deal with that situation when it came. For now, all he wanted to do was savor a few lingering moments in the arms of his newfound sweetheart.


End file.
